Pakistan faces diplomatic embarrassment as China gives Deputy PM Ishaq Dar a low-key reception with no red carpet or senior officials in Beijing.
In a diplomatic moment that has raised eyebrows, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Beijing on Monday to a surprisingly muted welcome — with no red carpet, no senior Chinese officials, and no ceremonial fanfare. The lukewarm reception from China — long touted by Islamabad as its “Iron Brother” — has triggered speculation over the state of relations between the two nations.
Dar landed in the Chinese capital for a three-day visit from May 19 to 21, during which he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and participate in a trilateral meeting involving Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
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However, the optics of Dar’s arrival told a different story. Instead of the customary warm reception that often accompanies high-level visits from close allies, the Pakistani Deputy PM was received at the airport by low-ranking Chinese officials. The absence of any senior representation, not even a mid-level minister, and the missing red carpet appeared to be a symbolic snub.
The Foreign Office of Pakistan had earlier framed Dar’s visit as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two countries to bolster the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.” A statement said the visit was on the invitation of Wang Yi and would include “in-depth discussions” on bilateral relations and the regional situation, particularly in the context of recent developments in South Asia.
Dar’s China visit comes at a critical juncture — just over a week after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to end a brief but intense four-day exchange of drone and missile strikes across the border. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 dead. China had publicly welcomed the cessation of hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors, calling it essential for regional peace.
The trilateral meeting between Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan, scheduled for May 20, is expected to focus on regional security, counter-terrorism, and trade. However, the lackluster reception for Dar has cast a shadow over the optics of this engagement, particularly at a time when Pakistan’s diplomatic posture in the region is under intense scrutiny.
For Pakistan, which often highlights its iron-clad ties with China as a cornerstone of its foreign policy, the subdued reception may be an uncomfortable signal that its closest ally is recalibrating the warmth of their relationship — or at least choosing to send a message at a sensitive time.
